About Us

The Southwest Symphony

Southwest Symphony was founded in 1983 to fulfill a need created by the suspension of the Community Concert Series in Hobbs, NM. From its' inception the Symphony has strived to bring a variety of music and dance programs to the citizens of Southeastern New Mexico. Each season Southwest Symphony presents seven concerts that include three classical, semi-classical, and pop music performed by our Southwest Symphony Orchestra. Additionally the Symphony acts as a presenter to bring four performers that includes a variety of music and dance genres.

GREETINGS FROM OF A BOARD MEMBER:

I am pleased to welcome you to our 31st year. SWS would like to take this opportunity to thank our patrons and our community for taking advantage of this wonderful 2014-2015 season of concerts, featuring three performances by our own Southwest Symphony under the direction of our home town conductor, Dr. Mark Jelinek.

I applaud the governing and artistic committee members, and everyone involved in bringing these great concerts to our area each year by supporting the Southwest Symphony though your volunteer efforts. We are blessed to have so many talented and dedicated members!

In our 31st season, we are proud to present this seasons roster to you. We know that the artistry of each performance will delight and entertain you! Great communities are created when all aspects of the performing arts are seen as priceless and a key component in the overall quality of life in the region. We live in a wonderful community that has taken this to literally to heart. Each season has been fabulous, but I believe this season will be the best yet!

Finally, our Youth Series proudly partners with Lea County Schools introducing our young minds to the wonderful world of the performing arts. Again, this year in addition to our community concerts, several of the performances will visit and perform in Hobbs, Lovington and Tatum, NM schools. A special round of thanks goes out to our community and individuals who support our Youth Series Outreach Program through our schools. For, without your support many youth in our community would not have this opportunity to expand their minds through Art and Music.

Enjoy the season!

Sam Small
SWS Board of Directors

About the Artistic Director

Mark R. Jelinek, DMA

This season marks his 20th season as Artistic Director of the Southwest Symphony Orchestra.
He holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Arts degree from
Eastern New Mexico University, where he
studied cello and conducting under Arthur
M. Welker. Dr. Jelinek received his Doctor of
Musical Arts from Arizona State University,
where he studied cello with Takayori Atsumi
and conducting with Eugene Lombardi, Frank
Spinosa and Richard Strange.

Dr. Jelinek served as orchestra conductor at Cooper High School in
Abilene, Texas, at Alamogordo High School in Alamogordo, New
Mexico and at Marcos di Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona.
Dr. Jelinek is a professor of music at Bloomsburg University in
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. He is starting his twenty-sixth year as
conductor of the Bloomsburg University Community Orchestra and
nineteenth year as conductor of the Bloomsburg University Chamber
Orchestra.

He has performed in cello sections of orchestras in Texas, New Mexico,
Arizona, California and Pennsylvania. Notable guest artists who have
performed with Southwest Symphony Orchestra under Dr. Jelinek’s
direction include Michael Martin Murphey, B.J. Thomas and Riders
in the Sky as well as revival bands performing the music of the Beatles
and ABBA.

Dr. Jelinek grew up in Hobbs and is the son of Mrs. Gladys Jelinek and
the late Robert M. Jelinek of Hobbs.

2014-2015 Southwest Symphony Staff

Genevieve S. Cavanaugh
Executive Director

Genevieve S. Cavanaugh has been working with the Southwest
Symphony since fall of 2006. She is also a freelance photographer and
writer for various businesses and publications including New Mexico
Magazine, Guestlife New Mexico and Guestlife El Paso. She received her Bachelor of
Arts Degree in Journalism from NMSU in 1990 and is married with
two children. She is an ex-officio member of the Symphony’s Board
of Directors, the Governing Committee and the Artistic Committee.

Cindy Walker
Orchestra Manager

Cindy Walker has been the Orchestra Manager since 1995. She has
a B.M. in Piano Performance and a M.M. in Music Theory &
Composition from Texas Tech University and an Associate degree
in Mortuary Science from Amarillo College. Ms. Walker is the manager at
Griffin Funeral Home and is organist at First United Methodist
Church. She is an ex-officio member of the Symphony’s Board of
Directors, the Governing Committee and the Artistic Committee.

Abby Holmes
Marketing /Youth Series Coordinator

Abby Holmes began working with the Southwest Symphony
in June. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Wayland Baptist
University in 2007 with an emphasis in music performance. She is
the owner and director of Soar School of Music.